Tie-handling tongs



H. R. STOVALL. HE HANDLING TONGS. APPLICATION H'LED JULY 2a, 1919.

1,337,101 w ip 13, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE HENRY It. STOVALL, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

TIE-HANDLING TON-GS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY R. STOVALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa, State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tie-Handling Tongs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved tool for lifting dirty and greasy railway ties, especially those that have been saturated with creosote and oil, so as to prevent injury to the hands.

The invention embodies an improved construction consisting of a pair of cross and pivoted tong jaws to which are pivotally connected a pair of crossed and pivoted handle levers formed with hand-gripping loops, while the jaws are constructed to penetrate the sides of a tie whereby the tie will be securely gripped until the tool is released of strain, thus permitting two men to lift a tie and to carry it each with a pair of tongs at the ends of the tie, while the pivoted joints of the parts are so constructed as to insure centralized or even pull at the joints.

lVith the above objects and others in View as will appear as the specification proceeds, the invention comprises certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out and claimed.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, wherein like characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved tongs or tool for lifting or handling ties, the same being shown in a posi tion when gripping a tie,

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device in a releasing position, and

Fig. 3 is a detailed edge elevation showing a joint employed in connection with the piv otally connected parts,

Fig. 41 is a detail view of the lower pivotal connection of the tong jaws.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved tongs or tie-handling tool is shown as comprising a pair of crossed tong Specification of Letters Patent. Patented ADI. 13, 1920.

Application filed July 28, 1919.

Serial No. 313,693.

jaws 10 formed with fiat bars of metal of suitable weight and strength and having tapered gripping portions 11 curved toward each other so as to penetrate and grip the sides of a tie. The jaws 10 are pivotally connected as shown at 12 by means of a bolt passed through alined apertures in the aws where they cross, said portions having circular bearing faces as shown at 13.

The device further comprises a pair of crossed handle levers 1 1 similarly pivotally connected as shown at 15 and provided with corresponding circular bearing portions 16. The free ends of the handle levers 1 1 are provided with hand-gripping loops 17 and the other extremities thereof are pivotally connected to the upper extremities of the tong jaws 10 as shown at 18. In connecting these parts, the adjacent ends are offset in opposite directions as shown at 19 and the bolts forming the pivots 18 are passed through alined apertures in said offset portions.

In this manner it will be seen that as the line of pull or strain is centralized due to the parts 11 and 10 being disposed in alineinent, uneven pull will be prevented and thus the joints will be prevented from working loose, or giving way under strain.

In the use of the device the parts are collapsed as shown in Fig. 2 by spreading the handles. thus spreading the jaws so as to permit them to span a tie as designated by the numeral 21 and then by raising the handles while holding the tapered portions ll into engagement with the sides of the tie. the tie will be securely gripped and will'be prevented from releasing until the tie is lowered to the ground or released by moving the handles and parts to the collapsed position shown in Fig. 2. Thus, it will be unnecessary to handle the tie with the hands, which is especially objectionable in connection with ties which are treated to preserve them and which have become covered with grease and dirt in use.

What is claimed is A tool of the class described comprising crossed and pivoted tong jaws, crossed and pivoted handle levers, said jaws and levers where crossed being provided with circular bearing portions having central apertures therethrough, bolts connecting said jaws v and levers through said apertures, the up per extremities of the jaws and the lower extremities of the levers being formed with oppositely offset apertured portions'having rounded ends, and bolts passed through said offset portions whereby said levers and j ews are disposed in Vertical alinement beyond said offset portions, as and for the purposes 7 specified.

In testimony whereof, I eiiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. Y

HENRY R. STOVALL.

\Vitnesses HORACE SPEED, H.- F. 'PFEIFEER. 

